


Dark Days

by desticockles



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Gen, Holocaust, holocaust AU, i am so so sorry for this, there will be so much angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-10
Updated: 2014-10-10
Packaged: 2018-02-20 16:15:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2435096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desticockles/pseuds/desticockles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Holocaust AU</p>
<p>Castiel and his brothers have been living in fear, trying to find a place to stay, and stumble upon an old family friend who is willing to hide them away. Their moderate safety does not last as long as any of them would like, though, and soon enough they find themselves in a work camp. There, Castiel is reunited with a young man he once knew, but not in the way he would like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dark Days

**Author's Note:**

> This will not have a happy ending. I do not intend to romanticize the horrors of the holocaust.  
> I will, however, be posting an alternate ending for anyone who can't handle historically accurate and depressing endings to a story like this. That ending is… not intended to be taken seriously.  
> Also, I apologize in advance for offending anyone because I know this is a horrible thing to be writing about and it's undoubtably a touchy subject. I ask that if you are sensitive to the subject, please do not read this, I don't want to hurt anyone.  
> And if you notice anything that is glaringly inaccurate or offensive in any way please do not hesitate to comment and tell me my mistakes, but I ask that you please do so kindly and maturely.  
> This is painful enough to write, I do not envy those of you who choose to read it. Good luck.

Castiel holds his little brother’s hand, both of them huddling close beside their other siblings. They had been lost in the chaos of the streets before they found themselves in an old friend’s large foyer. They were soaked to the bone by the pouring rain and shaking with fear. They didn’t want to be taken away like all their friends had been.

"How have you been holding up?" Balthazar asks, a crack of thunder to punctuate his question, rolling in the air beyond the large wooden doors in front of which they stand. Inias flinches and clings closer to Castiel.

None of them answer. Castiel squeezes Inias's shoulder to comfort him, feeling the younger boy tremble at his side. Balthazar nods knowingly, blue eyes drooping with sadness.

"Sorry, that was a stupid question, I know." He sighs and shoves his hands into his pockets. "I'm really sorry this is what it has come to."

"It is not your fault." Castiel replies solemnly, tangling his hand into Inias's wet hair when he nuzzles closer.

"True, but I-"

"Balthazar, honestly, you have no need to apologize. You are doing more for us than we could ever ask." Michael asserts, resting a cold hand upon Balthazar's shoulder. The blond man nods in understanding and turns his eyes to the ground.

"I feel I should apologize for the conditions," he replies, sounding much more solemn than Castiel can ever remember. "I hate to have to lock you away, but I have no choice. If anyone finds out..."

"I know," Michael says when Balthazar trails off, "we understand."

And they do understand. If it ever gets out that he has offered shelter to and harbored a Jewish family in his own home, he will be punished as well. Castiel cannot say he blames Balthazar for being cautious, but it still hurts to know that they are being asked to live in a cold little cellar.

"Please, come in. You're all freezing." Balthazar gestures towards an arch in the wall that opens to another room. Michael and Gabriel hurry inside without another word, rushing into the warmth of the room. Castiel glares after them, annoyed by their rude behavior.

“Thank you for helping us, Balthazar.” Lucifer says quietly as he walks past him into the other room. Castiel would think it to be uncharacteristic of his brother, but he knows better than that by now. All of the rebellious acts and the petulance were all with good intentions, he has come to realize. Lucifer was never really _bad_ in his eyes. He empathized with his brother, more than he did with Michael or Gabriel, and he could never quite believe him to be the monster that his older siblings made him out to be. This moment, a quiet and vulnerable gesture of gratitude, makes Castiel wonder why they ever thought so lowly of him at all.

As Castiel and Inias pass by Balthazar, they thank him as well, with hushed and shaky voices. The room they are lead into is larger than it needs to be; the dark walls stretching up to a raised ceiling at least twelve feet high. A fireplace against one wall is lit and crackling loudly in the quiet of the room, casting flickering orange light forward into the room. As apprehensive as Castiel is to be staying here and putting Balthazar at risk as well as themselves, this place feels more like home than anyplace has in months. Maybe it's the safety he feels when standing in the shadows, or maybe it's the quiet din of music flowing from a dreary little phonograph in the corner; or, he thinks most likely, it's the warmth slowly seeping into his skin past layers of soaked clothing and the smell of freshly cooked food wafting in from the next room.

**Author's Note:**

> I know, the first chapter is pretty short…  
> The reason for that is simple; I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I have a second chapter written and it should be up as soon as I figure out if I am okay with it. This isn't easy.


End file.
